By: Aggie Rieger
Principal Fred Skretta left Thursday night’s varsity girls basketball game against the Lady Pirates “disappointed”. While the game itself was not a victory, it saw parts of Oak Park High School come together, even if unsuccessfully.
“The pommies’s senior night at half time was pretty cool,” said senior Nick Deason.
Senior Pommie co-captains Melanie Holmgren and Elizabeth Garnos celebrated their senior night at the game. The girls were given flowers, photos and other sentimentals at their very last high school game performance.
“It’s kind of bitter sweet. I’ve been waiting for it for three years, but at the same time I don’t want it to end,” Holmgren said, “Some of my best high school memories are with the pommies.”
The pommies perform at many home games, another component to high school competitions.
“I’d like to think that our support helps them [the team] in whatever way,” Holmgren said.
After the game, co-captain of the basketball team, senior Dani Wilkerson agreed.
“The pommies pump up the crowd which in turn pumps up us,” she said.
According to Wilkerson, the cheerleaders have a similar affect.
“They’re kind of like the pommies, they don’t technically affect us but they pump up the crowd, which pumps us up,” Wilkerson said.
Cheerleading coach Megan Ives believes that the cheer leaders are very important to the games.
“[Our job is] to pump up the crowd and to entertain them during time outs and breaks. It just creates the overall high school experience,” Ives said, “It always helps when there’s a crowd to help. When they hear cheers led by the cheer leaders, sometimes they join in and it pumps them up.”
One set back the girl players face is the small crowds that come to their games. Some nights, many students will come, but still fan support is significantly lower than it is for the boys’ games.
“The crowds are a little bigger for the guys,” said Curtis Stock, parent of #31, senior Jamie Stock, who played in the game.
Senior varsity basketball player Matt O’Brien agrees.
“People don’t flock to the girls games like they do the guys,” he said, “I think small crowds hurt the atmosphere because when there’s big crowds, there’s more motive to play. Small crowds means that not as many people came out to see you.”
Still, fans have fun supporting the girls.
“The guys team is a lot more physical, but girls are a lot more rude. They’re, like, feisty,” said junior Kelsie Thomas, a spectator at the game.
Also supporting the team and adding to the game was the pap band.
“The band does a lot of good things for us,” Wilkerson said.
Stock agreed that the band was another important part of the game.
“The girls really like them being here and it’s just another sign of the school supporting them,” Stock said.
Students, like sophomore Michelle Garcia enjoyed and appreciated the band.
“I think it does make everybody peppy. We all get really peppy when we hear them,” Garcia said.
Band director Adam Farley was happy to lead the band at the game.
“The band loves to be a visible and energetic part of the athletic department,” he said.
Athletic Director Keith Ross also enjoys the band’s support.
“They’re the best band this side of the Pecos,” Ross said.
While the evening saw the school come together, the game itself was not a winning match. Still, although Skretta was not impressed with the game, Wilkerson was.
“This game we came out and gave it out all, 100 percent,” Wilkerson said, “The Platte County team, that are very very good, very physical, very assertive, very determined and skilled, they’re a really good basketball team.”
Coach Anthony Abbott was proud of the team.
“We did everything we wanted to do except win,” Abbott said, “[I am] always proud of them. With that effort, we can look at everything and know we have some improvements to make.”
According to Abbott, Platte County is ranked 7th in the state. The Oakies and Lady Pirates had met on the court twice before, all games ended in defeat. This game, however, according to Ross and Skretta, a greater effort was put out from the Oakies.
“I didn’t think the Oak Park girls would be able to hold us as well [as they did],” said Platte County fan Dustin Niehouse.
Spectators agreed that Platte County played well, but as seen in the 2nd quarter, not always very sportsmanlike. Sophomore Toni Manzo lost hope in the 3rd quarter because of this.
“Dani [Wilkerson] got hurt in the 2nd quarter and she’s our there now but she’s still hurt,” Manzo said.
Wilkerson suffered an injury, but as Manzo said was soon back in the game.
“Platte County was playing a little dirty, they went up with a leg and got me in the hip,” Wilkerson said, “I wasn’t as quick as I normally was and I couldn’t really move as I normally can. I feel pretty good now, we lost by 5.”
Wilkerson was more concerned with the game than herself, and in the stands students were happy to see her back.
“Well, she seems to have gotten better, it was just a temporary thing, and to get her back on the court is a big plus for the team. She’s an important leader and her presence is important to the team,” O’Brien said.
Ross said that the worst part of the game was the many turnovers and plays lost to Platte County. By half time many students, including cheerleader sophomore Achsah Root, had lost hope in a victory.
“It’s pretty intense because I know they [the Oakies] really want to beat these people,” Root said, “I know we’re going to be beat, but we’re going to do our best.”
Other students remained optimistic.
“You always have a chance until it [the clock] hits double O’s, and then you know it’s a defeat, but we’re really not down that far,” Deason said, “We’ve kept it close so far.”
In the end, fan support and effort was not enough to overcome Platte County.
Still, the fans from both schools cheered through the game. The cheerleaders led the crowd- no matter how small, the pommies danced and celebrated senior night, the band performed and the team played. All under Oak Park High School’s gym roof.